Missionaries Of Charity

[beatitude]

Lucia, if you feel called to work with people living in poverty, may I suggest that you look into the Little Sisters of Jesus? While their lifestyle is less rigorous than that of the MCs, their charism is to share in the ordinary life of people who are poor and marginalised, so you will find them working in factories, as cleaners, in care homes, etc. - low-waged ordinary jobs in the heart of the world. They are to be found in many unusual places; some sisters travel with and minister to a circus camp, others live in a Roma/Gypsy community, others are with tribal peoples in the Amazon, and for a while a group of sisters even lived in a prison alongside the inmates. They are very simple in how they live - no big convents, for example, if they're in the Amazon they have a mud hut like the other people in their village and if they're in London they have an apartment like the others on their block - but their poverty is not so physically demanding as MC poverty. They place a lot of emphasis on daily Adoration and they are founded in the spirituality of Bl. Charles de Foucauld. If you have profited from Mother Teresa's writing I suggest you read that of their founder, Little Sister Magdeleine. :) Vincentian communities might be another avenue for you to explore.

[MargaretTeresa]

Lucia, if you feel called to work with people living in poverty, may I suggest that you look into the Little Sisters of Jesus? While their lifestyle is less rigorous than that of the MCs, their charism is to share in the ordinary life of people who are poor and marginalised, so you will find them working in factories, as cleaners, in care homes, etc. - low-waged ordinary jobs in the heart of the world. They are to be found in many unusual places; some sisters travel with and minister to a circus camp, others live in a Roma/Gypsy community, others are with tribal peoples in the Amazon, and for a while a group of sisters even lived in a prison alongside the inmates. They are very simple in how they live - no big convents, for example, if they're in the Amazon they have a mud hut like the other people in their village and if they're in London they have an apartment like the others on their block - but their poverty is not so physically demanding as MC poverty. They place a lot of emphasis on daily Adoration and they are founded in the spirituality of Bl. Charles de Foucauld. If you have profited from Mother Teresa's writing I suggest you read that of their founder, Little Sister Magdeleine. :) Vincentian communities might be another avenue for you to explore.

 

Yes, definitely look at the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of Charity.

 

I know in NOLA the DCs work in a multitude of things including healthcare, homeless shelters, and schools.

The SC in NOLA I met worked with the homeless and also with the St Bernard Project, which is (still) working to help rebuild St. Bernard Parish after Hurricane Katrina.

[OnlySunshine]

Another good order to look into that works with the poorest of the poor is the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal.  As I said earlier, a Sister from that order discerned with the MCs as well but discerned and joined the CFRs.  :)

[AccountDeleted]

Thanks Phatmassers, maybe I will give the book a read once my enormous reading list gets smaller.  I just wasnt sure whether buying the book was worth it   because I heard some negative things about it and some of the things I read about the author.  I thought it might be a book by someone with an axe to grind.  And just to clarify I am not afraid to read a book by a woman who has left religious life, I dont pass any judgment on that, it seems to me to be only normal for some women to discern that their vocation is not religious life or that their vocation is not to a particular community.  I just wasnt sure about whether this book was by someone with an axe to grind-in which case I didnt think I would like it so why spend money buying it.  

 

 

 

 

I haven't bought a book in years unless it was from a thrift shop. So one word for you...

 

LIBRARY.

 

Even if your local library doesn't have a copy of the book, almost all libraries can do 'inter-library loans' to get a book for you from another library.

 

There is an online library locator and catalogue that can also be of help locating a library near you or particular book:

 

As for finding time to read - I always keep a book in my bathroom - there are always occasions when I need a little extra time there and reading is a good way to pass the time... :P

[AnneLine]

And... I believe a good amount of An Unquenchable Thirst is available on the Amazon website as a 'look inside' option.   And, if your own library doesn't have it available, it may be possible to order it through Inter-library loan.  THAT is a wonderful resource.

 

I will second what the others have said about how much of their lifestyle is a radical living out of the Third World vision of what poverty looks like.   I had a friend who had very much wanted to be a Carmelite nun... but she was from one of the Southeast-Asian countries near India, and she left while she was a novice.  There were many reasons, but a large part was that it did not seem 'poor' enough for her; she knew GOd wanted something more like the poverty she knew the people in her country-of-birth were experiencing.  Eventually she entered  the Missionaries of Charity and found it was the right fit for her.  

 

Each person has to find the right place... and God will provide.

 

I think the LIttle Brothers and Sisters of Jesus are amazing....

[AnneLine]

And it is WONDERFUL to see Nunsense back again.   I realize health is an issue for her, but if Indwelling Trinity sees this thread and is able to post, she may be able to contribute more because she lived as an MC for a number of years before she transferred to Carmel.

[OnlySunshine]

Not that I want to sway you from the MCs or anything (especially if that really is your vocation), but if you decide to look at other orders, I thought I should mention some interesting things that I witnessed while on retreat with the CFRs in January 2010.  I know quite a bit about them because I see them often, but this was the first time I had been in their convents.

 

• They do not have a microwave.  All food is cooked on the stovetop in a pan/skillet or in the oven.  Even items that are reheated are done on the stove.
• Two of their convents have a food pantry handout on Saturdays and one of those convents has a soup kitchen on Saturday, as well.  They use this time to evangelize and give prayerful support as well as Catholic trinkets (rosaries, scapulars, medals, etc) and literature if the person is interested.  I helped in the soup kitchen and organized the drawers of trinkets so I was able to see, first hand, how it's done.  It was amesome.
• The Sisters and Friars eat what they are given.  Their preference is to abstain from meat on Friday, but if they are given meat and this is all they have, they use it and offer a penance in its place.  It's another way of understanding poverty - the homeless can't choose what they are given to eat.
• The Sisters and Friars only set up convents and friaries in the poorest locations where the need is greatest.  Once the need is no longer there, they leave.  One of the poorest locations is Harlem.  They don't buy the property, either.  It is given to them as a donation and stays in the person's name.  They don't any property at all.

For more information outside of a visit (which I HIGHLY recommend), I suggest reading "The Drama of Reform."  That book helped me understand the lifestyle and poverty of the CFRs and how they came into existence.  It made me appreciate and respect them even more.  I just wish I was called there.  I love their order but my visit was entirely neutral.

Edited May 16, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae

[AveMariaPurissima]

I haven't bought a book in years unless it was from a thrift shop. So one word for you...

 

LIBRARY.

 

Even if your local library doesn't have a copy of the book, almost all libraries can do 'inter-library loans' to get a book for you from another library.

 

There is an online library locator and catalogue that can also be of help locating a library near you or particular book:

 

 

As for finding time to read - I always keep a book in my bathroom - there are always occasions when I need a little extra time there and reading is a good way to pass the time... :P

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The library is wonderful. :D

 

As a sidenote, I just ordered "An Unquenchable Thirst" from the library myself.

Edited May 17, 2014 by AveMariaPurissima

[Lucia]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions- I will look into the communties some of you mentioned.  

 

-MasterMisericordia--Thanks for all the info on the CFR's--i was trying to see if I could PM you to get more info on them--and then saw your post re your observations from when you visited in 2010!  I had a chance to see a few of the friars in action and they are just awesome.  It really made me start thinking about the CFR sisters more.  

 

My only concern is I do have a health issue, diabetes which is perfectly managed, so I think these communities are probably not where the Lord is leading me.

[OnlySunshine]

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions- I will look into the communties some of you mentioned.  

 

-MasterMisericordia--Thanks for all the info on the CFR's--i was trying to see if I could PM you to get more info on them--and then saw your post re your observations from when you visited in 2010!  I had a chance to see a few of the friars in action and they are just amesome.  It really made me start thinking about the CFR sisters more.  

 

My only concern is I do have a health issue, diabetes which is perfectly managed, so I think these communities are probably not where the Lord is leading me.

 

The only way you would find out for sure is to ask the CFRs.  I know there is at least one Sister who was admitted with arthritis but I don't know if she takes medication for it.  With the new health insurance laws, things may have changed for their healthcare needs.  Sr. Mary Pieta, the VD, could help you out.  I've met her and she's awesome.  :)

 

BTW, I have my PMs turned off right now because I'm in school so I'm keeping my posting to a minimum.  ;)

[Lucia]

The only way you would find out for sure is to ask the CFRs.  I know there is at least one Sister who was admitted with arthritis but I don't know if she takes medication for it.  With the new health insurance laws, things may have changed for their healthcare needs.  Sr. Mary Pieta, the VD, could help you out.  I've met her and she's amesome.  :)

 

BTW, I have my PMs turned off right now because I'm in school so I'm keeping my posting to a minimum.  ;)

I actually randomly met sister mary pieta, had no idea who she was and had a conversation with her about something unrelated to vocational discernment.  I only found out afterward that she was sister mary pieta...the VD! She is indeed awesome.  Its funny because I think she could tell I had an interest in religious life.

 

Good luck with the end of the semester.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Lucia

[Era Might]

Just wanted to add that I know the MC sisters not as a discerner but as one of the poor they serve. I laughed above at the person who said they are very Indian because one of the main Sisters who serves where I am is a stereotypical no-nonsense Indian, but she has to be that way, she fits in perfectly, she's able to deal with the poor who aren't always easy to deal with, but I see a hidden beauty in her soul. I love the MCs, they're a special breed.

Edited May 28, 2016 by Era Might

[lmsb1231]

Hi,

I was an aspirant with the MC's (10 months with the actives, and 10 months with the contemplatives). If a young woman is interested in joining, she has to make a 2 week Come and See at the convent. If she and the community feel she is called to join, she needs 1 recommendation from a priest, and medical exam, and a 2 page application which they give. There is no psych test.

For the actives, you can enter either in January or June... but for the contemplatives, entrance date is more flexible, since their branch is smaller. My time with the actives was beautiful but very hard too- days go by very fast because you're always on the move! The actives have a dorm room the sisters share (one big room with simple wooden beds and a thin "pad" to sleep on). You wake up at 4:40 in the morning and go to bed between 9:45-10 pm (depends how fast you can get ready for bed!). The life is labor intensive- manual labor plays a large part in their spirituality of "doing little things with great love"- there's 4-6 hours of manual labor a day-- I remember washing clothes by hand everyday, cleaning the men's shelter (toilets/dorm rooms, washing sheets and blankets by hand), working in the soup kitchen (chopping fruits/ veggies, washing dishes, mopping the floor), cleaning the homes of the poor we visited, heavy lifting (boxes, crates of food, furniture), walking for miles to visit the poor, and house work (we usually mop the floor with a towel almost everyday). You need a strong stomach for the food- in the morning you must eat 3 pieces of bread usually dipped in oil (not butter) and a fruit at minimum, at lunch you must eat two scoops of veggies, two scoops of rice, a portion of meat, and one fruit, for dinner you have the leftovers.

 

Physical and psychological health is VERY VERY IMPORTANT. The sisters felt the life was too physically demanding for me (I fell asleep in prayer a lot because I felt so tired!). Pscyholgoically you must be strong- they had never required psych testing for candidates in the past, so now they're having the issue of having some professed sisters who have psych. weaknesses and are in need of care. Community life is very closely knit- you're within a few feet of your sisters at all times of the day (nap time, prayer, apostolate). The life is fast paced and you're expected to fulfill many duties well/efficiently, at times there might be more work than the time allotted, and this can be a point of tension for community life. No community is perfect- there's holy sisters and some still striving, but the issue of having some sisters with psych. weaknesses that you have to work closely with makes it necessary to have strong psych. health (think of what St. Therese went through in the convent). 

 

There's many joys in the life too. Community life has it's challenges, but I also have some of the best memories living in community. In the world they use the phrase "if you work hard, you play hard"- this is true for the MC's- they work hard, so at recreations are full of laughter, exciting stories, and fun! In the religious life world, MC's are known as the "party nuns" lol- on feast days, they go all out- I remember being in plays/skits with full costume (spiritual AND hilarious), learning dances and songs, playing volleyball, and playing/singing praise and worship songs on guitar with the sisters. 

 

The apostolate with the poor was amazing, no other words can describe it. The sisters go two by two, and you have to go out of your comfort zone, you grow in boldness. What I mean is, you don't get to choose your apostolate- the superiors decide and you obey (part of the spirituality of "loving trust, total surrender, and cheerfulness"). I remember knocking on doors of strangers asking to pray with them/share the Bible with them, teaching catechism to 1st graders in Spanish (I don't even know a lot of Spanish lol!), visiting teens at the juvenile hall, and preparing an ex-prostitute for Confession. Seeing how God touches the lives of the poor through the order was so beautiful, there were little miracles each day. 

 

I think there might be stuff I left out, but feel free to message me if you have any questions at all!  God bless

 

~Lauren

[katherineH]

Just a few words of caution about An Unquenchable Thirst: there is a significant amount of sexual content, as the author breaks her vow of chastity with a priest and another sister in the community (and maybe a few other people if my memory is correct).  She is very transparent about her experiences in an effort to show how her thought processes evolved over the years and how she came to view herself as a sexual being.  It felt a bit gratuitous at times but I understand why it's in the book. So yeah, this book is very informative and illuminating but definitely R-rated.

[Era Might]

3 hours ago, katherineH said:

Just a few words of caution about An Unquenchable Thirst: there is a significant amount of sexual content, as the author breaks her vow of chastity with a priest and another sister in the community (and maybe a few other people if my memory is correct).  She is very transparent about her experiences in an effort to show how her thought processes evolved over the years and how she came to view herself as a sexual being.  It felt a bit gratuitous at times but I understand why it's in the book. So yeah, this book is very informative and illuminating but definitely R-rated.

Is that common in religious life? Just curious.

3 hours ago, katherineH said:

Just a few words of caution about An Unquenchable Thirst: there is a significant amount of sexual content, as the author breaks her vow of chastity with a priest and another sister in the community (and maybe a few other people if my memory is correct).  She is very transparent about her experiences in an effort to show how her thought processes evolved over the years and how she came to view herself as a sexual being.  It felt a bit gratuitous at times but I understand why it's in the book. So yeah, this book is very informative and illuminating but definitely R-rated.

Wow, reading the reviews of the book make me look at the sisters in a different light. I wonder what passes through their minds, what they have to suppress. I feel bad for them.